Mara Salvatrucha

Mara Salvatrucha, also known as MS-13, is a Salvadorian street gang that is now an internationally spread gang. It has a large presence in Central America and several states of the United States, including California, Texas, and New York.[1] It is the fastest-growing gang in the world, along with its rival, the 18th Street gang. Members are easily recognizable by their elaborate Gothic-style tattoos.

MS-13 originated during the Salvadorian civil war of the 1980s, and their motto is "mata, viola, controla", which translates to rape, kill, and control.[2]

Despite their extreme brutality,[3] MS-13 gang members strongly fear La Sombra Negra, a paramilitary organization that exists to wipe out gangs like MS-13 and uses extreme torture methods on the gang members.[4]

In the U.S., MS-13 has spread to 22 states, and it has grown by recruiting illegal immigrants.[5] MS-13 has been able to enter the U.S. illegally by having its members claim they are underage.[6] Some members of the mainstream media published articles defending the gang.[7] A study conducted by the New Jersey Commission of Investigation found that mass deportations were most effective in countering MS-13 is New Jersey in the 1990s and 2000s.[8]